Board grants multiple setback variances for addition and garage at 282 West River St.

The Milford Zoning Board of Appeals on Oct. 14 approved multiple variance requests for owners Neil and Amelia Tan to expand their home at 282 West River Street, including relief from front- and rear-yard setback requirements and an allowance to expand a preexisting nonconforming structure.

Rob White, the applicants’ architect, told the board the house is a preexisting, nonconforming Cape-style house on a corner lot with two front yards and an unusual lot configuration that constrains placement of a two-car garage. He submitted eight letters of support with the application and walked the board through maps and photographs showing the existing house, curb cut and neighboring properties.

White said the design aims to preserve the character of the existing Cape-style house while adding a modest garage and additions sited to minimize impact on adjacent neighbors and to keep the driveway in its current location.

Homeowners Neil and Amelia Tan told the board they have lived at the address for 22 years and want to enlarge the house to host family gatherings and accommodate future grandchildren.

Board members discussed alternatives, including placing the garage on the opposite side of the house to avoid setback relief. White said that option was possible but would push the garage forward on the lot and create traffic/driveway alignment issues with nearby Greer Circle and would also more directly encroach on an adjacent property.

After discussion of the corner-lot hardship and the property’s prior variance history (the application cites earlier town records that treated both street frontages as fronts), Mr. Sota moved to approve the variance requests. The motion was seconded and the board voted to approve the variances. Several board members said they were persuaded by the lot constraints and by the design effort to preserve neighborhood character.